Analyst: Windows 8 experiencing 'little life' ahead of launch

New OS may be sluggish until late 2013

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Microsoft's Windows 8 goes on sale at the end of next week, but even if the company works "eight days a week" to promote its new operating system, expectations remain low.

"The sentiment around Windows 8 was overwhelmingly negative during our trip as the supply chain is experiencing little life ahead of the Oct. 26 launch," said Brian White, Topeka Capital analyst, to Business Insider after traveling to Asia.

This is despite the fact that the analyst described October and November as "the sweet spot" for notebooks running Windows 8.

Worse, White said that he spoke to a contact who doesn't expect Windows 8 to be material until midway through 2013.